South Norfolk Council greenlights £2 million improvement scheme for Long Stratton Leisure Centre

Things are set to get better for a south Norfolk leisure centre after a £2 million improvement scheme was given the green light.

South Norfolk Council will proceed with plans for the multimillion pound scheme for Long Stratton Leisure Centre after it was approved at today’s Development Management Committee meeting.

Our investment in Long Stratton Leisure centre will make it a state of the art facility that will serve the whole community for many years to comeYvonne Bendle

Cabinet member Yvonne Bendle said: “South Norfolk Council understands the importance of looking after the health and well-being of our residents and we also recognise the need to ensure that new infrastructure projects are built at the same time as planned housing growth.

“Our investment in Long Stratton Leisure centre will make it a state of the art facility that will serve the whole community for many years to come. At a time when other authorities are closing their leisure centres this underlines our commitment to providing the sports and social hubs that our communities are asking for.”

The council said it recognised the importance of providing quality leisure facilities which will help residents become and remain active.

The investment aims to provide appealing yet affordable leisure facilities that can be used by the whole community. The council added the improved centre is intended to become a community hub where friends and family can spend time together.

The work at Long Stratton Leisure centre will include a new first floor extension, a new inclusive fitness suite, new changing facilities, a café and soft play area, new equipment and improvements to the car park.

Improvements to the centre will work alongside the plan for the area set out in the Long Stratton Area Action Plan. The village is set to grow with more than 1,800 new houses being built. The council believes this investment will mean the leisure centre is ready for the increased demand this planned growth will bring.

South Norfolk Council has already invested £4 million in its leisure centre in Wymondham where there is also housing growth taking place. Since the centre re-opened it has seen a 87 per cent increase in membership.